User blog:Ugra Murda Kurma/Full Incarnations of Vishnu part 2.
Dashavatara (Sanskrit: दशावतार, daśāvatāra) refers to the ten avatars of Vishnu, the Hindu god of preservation. Vishnu is said to descend in form of an avatar to restore cosmic order. The list of Dashavatara varies across sects and regions. The standard list is: Matsya,Kurma, Varaha, Narasimha, Vamana, Parashurama, Rama, Krishna, Buddha andKalki. Buddha may be dropped from the list and substituted by regional deities likeVithoba or Jagannath, or Balarama. The Dashavatara order is interpreted to convey Darwin's evolution. Popular listEdit http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Vishnu_Avatars.jpg19th century painting of avatars of Vishnu by Raja Ravi Varma.#'Matsya', the fish, from the Satya Yuga. Vishnu takes the form of a fish to saveManu from the deluge, after which he takes his boat to the new world along with one of every species of plant and animal, gathered in a massive cyclone. #'Kurma', the tortoise, from the Satya Yuga. When the devas and asuras were churning the Ocean of milk in order to get amrita, the nectar of immortality, the mount Mandara they were using as the churning staff started to sink and Vishnu took the form of a tortoise to bear the weight of the mountain. #'Varaha', the boar, from the Satya Yuga. He appeared to defeat Hiranyaksha, a demon who had taken the Earth, or Prithvi, and carried it to the bottom of what is described as the cosmic ocean in the story. The battle between Varaha and Hiranyaksha is believed to have lasted for a thousand years, which the former finally won. Varaha carried the Earth out of the ocean between his tusks and restored it to its place in the universe. #'Narasimha', the half-man/half-lion, from the Satya Yuga. The rakshasa (An evil person) Hiranyakashipu, the elder brother of Hiranyaksha, was granted a powerful boon from Brahma, not allowing him to be killed by man or animal, inside or out, day or night, on earth or the stars, with a weapon either living or inanimate. Vishnu descended as an anthropomorphic incarnation, with the body of a man and head and claws of a lion. He then disembowels the''rakshasa'' at the courtyard threshold of his house, at dusk, with his claws, while he lay on his thighs. #'Vamana', the dwarf, from the Treta Yuga. The fourth descendant of Hiranyakashyap, Bali, with devotion and penance was able to defeat Indra, the god of firmament. This humbled the other deities and extended his authority over the three worlds. The gods appealed to Vishnu for protection and he descended as the dwarf Vamana. During a yajna of the king, Vamana approached him and Bali promised him for whatever he asked. Vamana asked for three paces of land. Bali agreed, and the dwarf then changed his size to that of a giant. He stepped over heaven in his first stride, and the netherworld with the second. Bali realized that Vamana was Vishnu incarnate. In deference, the king offered his head as the third place for Vamana to place his foot. The avatar did so and thus granted Bali immortality. Then in appreciation to Bali and his grandfather Prahlada, Vamana made him ruler of Pathala, the netherworld. #'Parashurama', warrior with the axe, from the Treta Yuga. He is son of Jamadagni and Renuka and received an axe after a penance to Shiva. He is the first Brahmin-Kshatriya in Hinduism, or warrior-saint, with duties between a Brahmana and aKshatriya). King Kartavirya Arjuna and his army visited the father of Parashurama at his ashram, and the saint was able to feed them with the divine cow Kamadhenu. The king demanded the animal, Jamadagni refused, and the king took it by force and destroyed the ashram. Parashurama then killed the king at his palace and destroyed his army. In revenge, the sons of Kartavirya killed Jamadagni. Parashurama took a vow to kill every Kshatriya on earth twenty-one times over, and filled five lakes with their blood. Ultimately, his grandfather, rishi Rucheeka, appeared and made him halt. He is a Chiranjivi (immortal), and believed to be alive today in penance at Mahendragiri. #'Rama', the prince and king of Ayodhya, from the Treta Yuga. He is a commonly worshiped avatar in Hinduism, and is thought of as the ideal heroic man. His story is recounted in one of the most widely read scriptures of Hinduism, the''Ramayana. While in exile from his own kingdom with his brother Lakshman and the monkey God Hanuman, his wife Sita was abducted by the demon king of Lanka, Ravana. He travelled to Ashoka Vatika in Lanka, killed the demon king and saved Sita. #'Krishna[4] was the eighth son of Devaki and Vasudev, from the Dwapara Yuga. He is also a frequently worshiped deity in Hinduism and an avatar in Vaishnava belief. He appeared alongside his elder brother Balarama. '''Balarama is regarded generally as an avatar of Shesha. However, Balarama is included as the eighth avatar of Vishnu in the Sri Vaishnava lists, where Buddha is omitted and Krishna appears as the ninth avatar in this list.[5] He particularly included in the lists, where Krishna is removed and becomes the source of all avatars.[6] #'Buddha': Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, is generally included as an avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism. Buddha may be depicted in Hindu scriptures as a preacher who deludes and leads demons and heretics away from the path of theVedic scriptures. Another view praises him as a compassionate teacher who preached the path of ahimsa (non-violence).[4][5][7] #'Kalki' ("Eternity", or "White Horse", or "Destroyer of Filth"), will be the final incarnation of Vishnu, foretold to appear at the end of Kali Yuga, our present epoch. He will be atop a white horse and his sword will be drawn, blazing like a comet. He is the harbinger of end time in Hindu eschatology, and will destroy all unrighteousness and evil at the end of Kali Yuga. Evolutionary interpretationEdit Some modern interpreters sequence Vishnu's ten main avatars in a definitive order, from simple life-forms to more complex, and see the Dashavataras as a reflection, or a foreshadowing, of the modern theory of evolution. Such an interpretation was first propounded by Theosophist Helena Blavatsky in her 1877 opus Isis Unveiled, in which she proposed the following ordering of the Dashavataras:[23][24] *Matsya - fish, the first class of vertebrates; evolved in water *Kurma - amphibious (living in both water and land; but not to confuse with the vertebrate class amphibians) *Varaha - wild land animal *Narasimha - beings that are half-animal and half-human (indicative of emergence of human thoughts and intelligence in powerful wild nature) *Vamana - short, premature human beings *Parasurama - early humans living in forests and using weapons *Rama - humans living in community, beginning of civil society *Krishna - humans practicing animal husbandry, politically advanced societies *Buddha - humans finding enlightenment *Kalki - advanced humans with great powers of destruction. This interpretation was taken up by other Orientalists and by Hindus in India, particularly reformers who sought to harmonize traditional religion with modern science. Keshub Chandra Sen, a prominent figure in the Brahmo Samaj and an early teacher of Swami Vivekananda, was the first Indian Hindu to adopt this reading. In an 1882 lecture he said:[23] The Puranas speak of the different manifestations or incarnations of the Deity in different epochs of the world history. Lo! The Hindu Avatar rises from the lowest scale of life through the fish, the tortoise, and the hog up to the perfection of humanity. Indian Avatarism is, indeed, a crude representation of the ascending scale of Divine creation. Such precisely is the modern theory of evolution. Similarly, Monier Monier-Williams wrote "Indeed, the Hindus were ... Darwinians centuries before the birth of Darwin, and evolutionists centuries before the doctrine of evolution had been accepted by the Huxleys of our time, and before any word like evolution existed in any language of the world."[25] J. B. S. Haldane suggested that Dashavatara gave a "rough idea" of vertebrate evolution: a fish, a tortoise, a boar, a man-lion, a dwarf and then four men (Kalki is not yet born).[26] Nabinchandra Sen explains the Dashavatara with Darwin's evolution in his Raivatak.[27] C. D. Deshmukh also remarked on the "striking" similarity between Darwin's theory and the Dashavatara.[28] Matsya (Sanskrit: मत्स्य, literally "Fish") is the avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu in the form of a fish, preceding Kurma. Often listed as the first avatar in the lists of the ten primary avatars of Vishnu, Matsya is described to have rescued the first man, Manu, from a great deluge. Matsya may be depicted as a giant fish, or anthropomorphically with a human torso connected to the rear half of a fish. The earliest accounts of the legend associate Matsya with the creator god Prajapati(identified with Brahma). However, Puranic scriptures incorporate Matsya as an avatar of Vishnu. Matsya forewarns Manu about an impending catastrophic flood and orders him to collect all the grains of the world in a boat; in some forms of the story, all living creatures are also to be preserved in the boat. When the flood destroys the world, Manu - in some versions accompanied by the seven great sages - survives by boarding the ark, which Matsya pulls to safety. In later versions of this story, the sacred texts Vedasare hidden by a demon, whom Matsya slays: Manu is rescued and the scriptures are recovered. The tale is in the tradition of the family of flood myths, common across cultures. In Hinduism, Kurma (Sanskrit: कूर्म; Kūrma) was the second Avatar ofVishnu, succeeding Matsya and preceding Varaha. Like Matsya this incarnation also occurred in Satya yuga. The temples dedicated to Kurma are located in Kurmai, of Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh andSrikurmam, Andhra Pradesh. Varaha (Sanskrit: वराह, "boar") is the avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu in the form of a boar. Varaha is listed as third in the Dashavatara, the ten principal avatars of Vishnu. When the demon Hiranyaksha stole the earth (personified as the goddess Bhudevi) and hid her in the primordial waters, Vishnu appeared as Varaha to rescue her. Varaha slew the demon and retrieved the Earth from the ocean, lifting it on his tusks, and restored Bhudevi to her place in the universe. Varaha may be depicted completely as a boar or in an anthropomorphic form, with a boar's head and human body. His consort, Bhudevi, the earth, is often depicted as a young woman, lifted by Varaha. The earth may be depicted as a mass of land too. Narasimha (IAST: Narasiṁha), Narasingh, Narsingh and Narasingha in derivative languages is an avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu who is also the supreme god Krishna and one of Hinduism's most popular deities, as evidenced in early epics, iconography, and temple and festival worship for over a millennium.[1] Narasiṁha is often visualised as half-man/half-lion, having a human-like torso and lower body, with a lion-like face and claws.[2] This image is widely worshipped in deity form by a significant number of Vaiṣṇavagroups. He is known primarily as the 'Great Protector' who specifically defends and protects his devotees in times of need.[3] Vishnu is believed to have taken the avatar to destroy the demon king Hiranyakashipu.[4] Vamana (Devanagari: वामन, IAST: Vāmana) is described in the Puranas as the fifth avatar of Vishnu, and the first incarnation of the Second Age orTreta yuga.[1] He is the first avatar to appear with anthropomorphic features, although he does appear as a dwarf Namboothiri Brahmin. He is also known as Upendra and Trivikrama. Parshurama (Parashuram) is the sixth avatar of Lord Vishnu, He is the son of Renuka and one of the saptarishi Sage Jamadagni. He lived during the last Dvapara Yuga, and is one of the seven immortals or Chiranjivi, ofHinduism. He received an axe after undertaking terrible penance to please Lord Shiva, who in turn taught him the martial arts. Parashurama is most known for ridding the world of kshatriyas twenty-one times over after the mighty king Kartavirya killed his father.[1] He played important roles in the Mahabharata and Ramayana, serving as mentor toBhishma, Karna and Drona. Parashurama also fought back the advancing seas to save the lands of Konkan and Kerala. Parashurama is worshipped as mool purush, or founder, of the NiyogiBhumihar Brahmin, Chitpavan, Daivadnya, Mohyal, Tyagi, Anavil andNambudiri Brahmin communities. The Buddha is viewed as an avatar of the god Vishnu in Vaishnava Hinduism although the Buddha himself denied that he was a god or an incarnation of a god.[1] Buddha's teachings deny the authority of the Vedas[2] and consequently Buddhism is generally viewed as a''nāstika'' (heterodox school)[3] from the perspective of orthodox Hinduism. Krishnaism (also Bhagavatism) is a group of Hindu denominations within Vaishnavism, centered on devotion to Krishna or other forms of Krishna.[1] It is often also called Bhagavatism, because it is the Bhagavata Purana that asserts that Krishna is "Bhagavan Himself," and subordinates to itself all other forms: Vishnu, Narayana, Purusha, Ishvara,Hari, Vasudeva, Janardana, etc.[2] The term "Krishnaism" has been used to describe the sects focused on Krishna, while "Vaishnavism" for sects focusing on Vishnu in which Krishna is an Avatar, rather than a transcended Supreme Being.[3] Krishnaism originates in the early centuries CE, arising from an amalgamation of the heroic Krishna Vasudeva, the "divine child" Bala Krishna and the Gopala traditions, and syncretism of these non-Vedic traditions with the Mahabharata canon, thus affiliating itself with Vedism in order to become acceptable to the orthodox establishment. Krishnaism becomes associated with bhakti yoga in the medieval period. Friedhelm Hardyin his "Viraha-bhakti" analyses the history of Krishnaism, specifically all pre-11th-century sources starting with the stories of Krishna and the gopi, and Mayon mysticism of the Vaishnava Tamil saints, Sangam Tamil literature and Alvars' Krishna-centered devotion in the rasa of the emotional union and the dating and history of the Bhagavata Purana.[4][5]The central text of Krishnaism is the Bhagavad Gita.[6][7][8] Krishnaism has a limited following outside of India, especially associated with 1960s counter-culture, including a number of celebrity followers, such as George Harrison, due to its promulgation throughout the world by the founder-acharya of theInternational Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.[9][10][11] Vaishnavism is a monotheism, sometimes described as "polymorphic monotheism", with the implication that there are many forms of one original deity, that is, belief in a single unitary deity who takes many forms. In Krishnaism this deity is Krishna, sometimes referred as intimate deity - as compared with the numerous four-armed forms of Narayanaor Vishnu.[12] While in common language the term is not often used, as many prefer a wider term "Vaishnavism", which appeared to relate to Vishnu (more specifically as Vishnu-ism), there are a few theories as to the origins and the definitions of Krishnaism. Within Vaishnavism, Krishnaism contrasts with "Vishnuism". Vishnuism believes in Vishnu as the supreme being, manifested himself as Krishna, while Krishnaism accepts Krishna to be Svayam bhagavan or "authentic", that manifested himself as Vishnu. As such Krishnaism is believed to be one of the early attempts to make philosophical Hinduism appealing to the masses.[13] Historically, it was Caitanya Mahaprabhu who founded congregational chanting of holy names of Krishna in the early 16th century after becoming a sannyasi. The objectEdit Main article: Krishna Krishna is the principal deity of Krishnaism that is also worshiped across many other traditions of Hinduism. Krishna is often described as having the appearance of a dark-skinned person and is depicted as a young cowherd boy playing a flute or as a youthful prince giving philosophical direction and guidance, as in the Bhagavad Gita.[14] Krishna and the stories associated with him appear across a broad spectrum of different Hindu philosophical and theological traditions, where it is believed that God appears to his devoted worshippers in many different forms, depending on their particular desires. These forms include the different avataras of Krishna described in traditional Vaishnava texts, but they are not limited to these. Indeed, it is said that the different expansions of the Svayam bhagavan are uncountable and they cannot be fully described in the finite scriptures of any one religious community.[15][16] Many of the Hindu scriptures sometimes differ in details reflecting the concerns of a particular tradition, while some core features of the view on Krishna are shared by all.[17] Main traditionsEdit Origins http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:History_of_Vaishnavism.pngHistory of Krishnaism in the framework of Vedas and Vaishnavism as a whole.;Northern See also: Bala Krishna Gopala Krsna of Krishnaism is often contrasted withVedism especially based on the story appearing in theBhagavata Purana when Krishna asks his followers to desist from Vedic Indra worship. Thus the character ofGopala Krishna is often considered to be non-Vedic.[18] Worship of Krishna, the deified tribal hero and religious leader of the Yadavas, took sectarian form as thePancaratra and earlier as Bhagavata religions. This sect has at a later stage merged with the sect of Narayana. Early Krishnaism thus consist of an amalgamation of the heroic Krishna Vasudeva, the "divine child" Bala Krishna and theGopala traditions. By its incorporation into the Mahabharata canon during the early centuries CE, Krishnaism began to affiliate itself withVedism in order to become acceptable to orthodoxy, in particular aligning itself with Rigvedic Vishnu. By the Early Medieval period, Krishnaism had risen to a major current of Vaishnavism.[19] ;Southern According to Hardy's study of the various connections between records and traditions there is evidence of early "southern Krishnaism",[4] even there is a tendency to allocate this tradition to the Northern traditions. There is a narrative context in which the early writings in Dravidian culture such as Manimekalai and the Cilappatikaram present Krishna, his brother, and favorite female companions in the similar terms.[20] Friedhelm Hardy argues that the Sanskrit Bhagavata Purana is essentially a Sanskrit "translation" of the bhakti of the Tamil alvars.[21] Whether to accept this radical suggestion, it an accepted view that South Indian texts illustrate close parallels to the Sanskrit traditions of Krishna and his gopi companions, so ubiquitous in later North Indian text and imagery.[20] While some refer to devotion to indigenous Mal (Tirumal) as early forms of Krishnaism, since Mal appears as a divine figure, largely like Krishna with some elements of Vishnu.[22] It has been suggested by Hardy that the term "Mayonism" should be used instead of "Krishnaism" when referring to Mal or Mayon.[4] On the other hand another prominent early evidence gathered from the poetry of Alvars, whose name can be translated "sages" or "saints", is that they were devotees of Mal. In their poems there comes a pronounced orientation to the Vaishnava and often Krishna side of Mal. It is however important to note that they do not make the distinction between Krishna and Vishnu on the basis of the concept of the Avatars.[22] Early and medieval traditionsEdit Further information: Bhakti movement Vaishnavism in the 8th century came into contact with the Advaita doctrine of Adi Shankara. There were counter-movements in South India to Shankara's theory of Brahman in particular, Ramanuja in the 11th century and Madhva in the 13th, building on the devotional tradition of the Alvars (Shri Vaishnavas). The Bhakti movement of late medieval Hinduism emerges in the 9th or 10th century, and is based on the Bhagavata Purana. On opinion of others it is Bhagavad Gita that may be said to constitute the gospel of Krishnaism. It is believed to be the most seminal of all Hindu scriptures.[23] In North India, Krishnaism gave rise to various late Medieval movements: Nimbarka and Ramananda in the 14th century,Kabir and Sankaradeva in the 15th and Vallabha and Caitanya in the 16th. Radha Krishna Main article: Radha Krishna A number of interpretations according to traditions possess a common root of personalism in the understanding of worship. Some proclaiming the supremacy of Krishna and the reality and eternality of individual selves.[24] One of the kings of Manipur, Gareeb Nivaz, ruling from 1709 to 1748, was initiated into Krishnaism and practiced this religion for nearly twenty years.[25] Since that period of time Manipuri Vaishnavas do not worship Krishna alone, but Radha-Krishna.[26] With the spread of the worship of Krishna and Radha, it becomes the dominant form in the Manipur region.[27] Charlotte Vaudeville, in her essay ‘''Evolution of Love Symbolism in Bhagavatism''’, draws some parallel to Nappinnai, appearing in Godha's magnum opus Thiruppavai and also in Nammalwar's references to Nappinnani, the daughter-in-law ofNandagopa. Nappinnai is believed to be the source of Radha's conception in Prakrit and Sanskrit literature, although their characteristic relations with Krishna are different. Yasastilaka Champukavya (AD 959) makes references to Radha and Krishna well before Jayadeva's period. There are elaborate references to Radha in Brahma vaivarta and Padma Puranas.[28] Early Bengali literature gives a vivid description of the depiction and evolution of understanding of Radha and Krishna.[29]However the source of Jayadeva Goswamis heroine in his poem Gita Govinda remains a puzzle in Sanskrit Literature.[30] In Caitanya Vaishnavism metaphysical status and Radha-worship is considered to be established by Krsnadasa in hisCaitanya Caritamrta where he represents the doctrine that prevailed among the Vrindavan Caitanyaites following Caitanya's demise in 1533.[31] One of the self-manifested deities established by Gopala Bhatta Goswami is called Radharamana; it is not surprising that Radharamana is seen as not only Krishna but also as Radha-Krishna.[32] The adepts and followers of the Nimbarka Sampradaya worship the youthful Krishna, alone or with his consort Radha are representing the earliest of the second wave of Greater Krishnaism, dating at least to the 12th century, matching and extending beyond tradition of the Rudra Sampradaya does.[33] According to Nimbarka, Radha was the eternal consort of Vishnu-Krishna and there is also a suggestion, though not a clear statement, that she became the wife of her beloved Krishna.[34] Vallabhacharya introduced the worship of Radha Krishna, where according to some sects, for example, the devotees identify mainly with the female companion (sakhi) of Radha who is privileged to witness the Radha-Krsna private relationship.[35] In the Swaminarayan Faith, spreading very rapidly throughout the world, Radha Krishna Dev has a special place asSwaminarayan himself made a reference to Radha Krishna in the Shikshapatri.[36] Holy placesEdit Main articles: Vrindavana and Goloka Vrindavana is often considered to be a holy place by majority of traditions of Krishnaism. It's a center of Krishna worship and the area includes places like Govardhana and Gokula associated with Krishna from time immemorial. Many millions of''bhaktas'' or devotees of Krishna visit these places of pilgrimage every year and participate in a number of festivals that relate to the scenes from Krishna's life on Earth.[37] On the other hand, Goloka is considered the eternal abode of Krishna, Svayam bhagavan according to some Vaishnavaschools, including Gaudiya Vaishnavism and the Swaminarayan Sampraday. The scriptural basis for this is taken in Brahma Samhita and Bhagavata Purana.[38] ScripturesEdit Common scriptures http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:JivaGoswami.jpgJiva Gosvami's Bhajan Kutir atRadha-kunda. Jiva Goswamis''Sandarbhas'' summarize Vedic sources of Gaudiya Vaishnavatradition's accretion of the concept Krishna to be the supreme Lord,bhagavān svayam, based on paribhasa-sutra of Bhagavata Purana. [39]Main articles: Bhagavata Purana and Bhagavad Gita While every tradition of Krishnaism has its own canon, in all Krishna is accepted as a teacher of the path in the scriptures Bhagavad Gita and the Bhagavata Purana.[37] As Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita, establishing the basis of Krishnaism himself: *"And of all yogins, he who full of faith worships Me, with his inner self abiding in Me, him, I hold to be the most attuned (to me in Yoga)."[40] *"After attaining Me, the great souls do not incur rebirth in this miserable transitory world, because they have attained the highest perfection."[41] In Gaudiya Vaishnava, Vallabha Sampradaya, Nimbarka sampradaya and the old Bhagavatschool, Krishna is believed to be fully represented in his original form in the Bhagavata Purana, that at the end of the list of avataras concludes with the following assertion:[42] All of the above-mentioned incarnations are either plenary portions or portions of the plenary portions of the Lord, but Sri Krishna is the original Personality of Godhead (Svayam Bhagavan).[43] Not all commentators on the Bhagavata Purana stress this verse, however a majority of Krishna-centered and contemporary commentaries highlight this verse as a significant statement.[44] Jiva Goswami has called it Paribhasa-sutra, the "thesis statement" upon which the entire book or even theology is based.[45] In another place of the Bhagavata Purana (10.83.5-43) those who are named as wives of Krishna all explain to Uraupadi how the 'Lord himself' (Svayam Bhagavan, Bhagavata Purana 10.83.7) came to marry them. As they relate these episodes, several of the wives speak of themselves as Krishna's devotees.[46] In the tenth canto the Bhagavata Purana describes svayam bhagavans Krishna's childhood pastimes as that of a much-loved child raised by cowherds in Vrindavan, near to theYamuna River. The young Krishna enjoys numerous pleasures, such as thieving balls of butter or playing in the forest with his cowherd friends. He also endures episodes of carefree bravery protecting the town from demons. More importantly, however, he steals the hearts of the cowherd girls (Gopis). Through his magical ways, he multiplies himself to give each the attention needed to allow her to be so much in love with Krishna that she feels at one with him and only desires to serve him. This love, represented by the grief they feel when Krishna is called away on a heroic mission and their intense longing for him, is presented as models of the way of extreme devotion (bhakti) to the Supreme Lord.[47] Sectarian scriptures Varkari movement In the Varkari movement the following scriptures are considered sacred in addition to general body of the common writing: *Dyaneshawri *Tukaram-Gatha *Sopandevi *Namdev-Gatha *Eknathi-Bhagwat Chaitanya movement *Sad Sandarbhas *Brahma Samhita Relationship to other traditions in HinduismEdit http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Heliodoruspillar.gifThe first inscription of theHeliodorus pillar that was made by Heliodorus 110 BCE after his conversion toBhagavata Monotheism. While Vishnu is attested already in the Rigveda, the development of Krishnaism appears to take place via the worship of Vasudeva in the final centuries BCE. This earliest phase was established the time of Pāṇini (4th century BCE) who, in his Astadhyayi, explained the word''vasudevaka'' as a bhakta (devotee) of Vasudeva. The appearance of Krishna as one of the''Avatars'' of Vishnu dates to the period of the Sanskrit epics in the early centuries CE. By the 8th century CE, Vasudeva has been interpreted by Adi Shankara, using the earlier Vishnu Purana as a support, as meaning the "supreme self" or Vishnu, dwelling everywhere and in all things,[48]although many other schools of Hindu philosophy have a different interpretation of this key concept. However the primary meaning remains enshrined in the inscription of the Heliodorus pillar 110 BCE. There is also evidence that sect which flourished with the decline of Vedism was centred on Krishna, the deified tribal hero and religious leader of the Yadavas.[49] It is believed that at a later stage Krishnaism started to align with Vedism so that orthodoxy would find it acceptable. It is also believed that at this stage that Vishnu of the Rig Vedawas assimilated into Krishnaism and became the equivalent of the Supreme God.[49] While there is a considerable debate as to Shivaism versus Vishnuism, and foisting of Krishnaism upon Vishnu to be passed as a Vedic deity, some consider that, "stated in this way, such scarcely can have been the case".[50] Such views distinguishing Vishnu from Krishna are believed to be without basis by some. For example, the Mahabharata is believed by some to predate the Bhagavata Purana[citation needed] and in the interpretations of Vishnu sahasranama composed by Bhishma in glorification of Krishna, where Krishna, according to some commentators, is identified as an avatar of Vishnu[51] and worship of Krishna was seen as identical to worship of Vishnu. In the 149th chapter of Anushāsanaparva in the epic Mahabharata, Bhisma states, with Krishna present, that mankind will be free from all sorrows by chanting the Vishnu sahasranama, the thousand names of the all-pervading Supreme Being Vishnu, who is the master of all the worlds, supreme over the devas and who is one with Brahman.[48] This seems to indicate that Krishna is identical with Vishnu. Indeed, Krishna himself said, "Arjuna, one may be desirous of praising by reciting the thousand names. But, on my part, I feel praised by one shloka. There is no doubt about it." [52] Krishnaism and ChristianityEdit Debaters have often alleged a number of parallels between Krishnaism and Christianity, originating with Kersey Graves' The World's Sixteen Crucified Saviors claiming 346 parallels between Krishna and Jesus,[53] theorizing that Christianity emerged as a result of an import of pagan concepts upon Judaism. Some 19th- to early 20th-century scholars writing on Jesus Christ in comparative mythology (John M. Robertson, Christianity and Mythology, 1910) even sought to derive both traditions from a common predecessor religion.[54] Rama (/ˈrɑːmə/;[1] Sanskrit: राम Rāma) is the seventh avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu,[2] and a king of Ayodhya. Rama is also the protagonist of theHindu epic Ramayana, which narrates his supremacy. Rama is one of the many popular figures and deities in Hinduism, specifically Vaishnavism and Vaishnava religious scriptures in South and Southeast Asia.[3] Along withKrishna, Rama is considered to be one of the most important avatars of Vishnu. In a few Rama-centric sects, he is considered the Supreme Being, rather than an avatar. Born as the eldest son of Kausalya and Dasharatha, king of Ayodhya, Rama is referred to within Hinduism as Maryada Purushottama,[4] literally the Perfect Man or Lord of Self-Control or Lord of Virtue. His wife Sita is considered by Hindus to be an avatar of Lakshmi and the embodiment of perfect womanhood.[4][5] Rama's life and journey is one of adherence to dharma despite harsh tests and obstacles and many pains of life and time. He is pictured as the ideal man and the perfect human. For the sake of his father's honour, Ram abandons his claim to Ayodhaya's throne to serve an exile of fourteen years in the forest.[6] His wife Sita and brother Lakshmana decide to join him, and all three spend the fourteen years in exile together. While in exile, Sita is kidnapped by Ravana, the Rakshasa monarch of Lanka. After a long and arduous search, Rama fights a colossal war against Ravana's armies. In a war of powerful and magical beings, greatly destructive weaponry and battles, Rama slays Ravana in battle and liberates his wife.[7] Having completed his exile, Rama returns to be crowned king in Ayodhya and eventually becomes emperor,[6] rules with happiness, peace, duty, prosperity and justice—a period known as Ram Rajya. The legend of Rama is deeply influential and popular in the societies of the Indian subcontinent and across South East Asia. Rama is revered for his unending compassion,[8] courage and devotion to religious values and duty. Krishna (/ˈkrɪʃnə/; Sanskrit: कृष्ण, Kṛṣṇa in IAST, pronounced [ˈkr̩ʂɳə] is considered the supreme deity, worshiped across many traditions ofHinduism in a variety of different perspectives. Krishna is recognized as anavatar of Lord Vishnu, and one and the same as Lord Vishnu one of thetrimurti and as the supreme god in his own right. Krishna is the principal protagonist with Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita also known as the Song of God, which depicts the conversation between the Royal Prince Arjuna and Krishna during the great battle of Kureksetra 5000 years ago where Arjuna discovers that Krishna is God and then comprehends his nature and will for him and for mankind. “I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who perfectly know this engage in My devotional service and worship Me with all their hearts”(Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-Gita 10.8) Krishna is often described and portrayed as an infant eating butter, a young boy playing a flute as in the Bhagavata Purana,[1] or as an elder giving direction and guidance as in the Bhagavad Gita.[2] The stories of Krishna appear across a broad spectrum of Hindu philosophical and theological traditions.[3] They portray him in various perspectives: a god-child, a prankster, a model lover, a divine hero, and the Supreme Being.[4] The principal scriptures discussing Krishna's story are the Mahabharata, the''Harivamsa, the ''Bhagavata Purana, and the Vishnu Purana. Krishna's disappearance marks the end of Dvapara Yuga and the start ofKali Yuga (present age), which is dated to February 17/18, 3102 BCE.[5]Worship of the deity Krishna, either in the form of deity Krishna or in the form of Vasudeva, Bala Krishna or Gopala can be traced to as early as 4th century BC.[6][7] Worship of Krishna as Svayam Bhagavan, or the supreme being, known as Krishnaism, arose in the Middle Ages in the context of theBhakti movement. From the 10th century AD, Krishna became a favourite subject in performing arts and regional traditions of devotion developed for forms of Krishna such as Jagannatha in Odisha, Vithoba in Maharashtraand Shrinathji in Rajasthan. Since the 1960s the worship of Krishna has also spread in the West, largely due to the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.[8] In Hinduism, Kalki (Devanagari: कल्कि; meaning 'Eternity,' 'White Horse,' or 'Destroyer of Filth') is the final incarnation of Vishnu in the current Mahayuga, foretold to appear at the end of Kali Yuga, the current epoch. Religious texts called the Puranas foretell that Kalki will be atop a white horse with a drawn blazing sword. He is the harbinger of the end time inHindu eschatology, after which he will usher in Satya Yuga. The name Kalki is a metaphor for eternity or time. Its origins may lie in theSanskrit word kalka which means foulness or filth. Hence, the name translates to the 'destroyer of foulness,' 'destroyer of darkness," or 'destroyer of ignorance.'[1] Another etymology from Sanskrit is 'white horse.'[2] In Buddhist Kalachakra tradition, 25 rulers of the Shambhala Kingdom held the title of Kalki, Kulika or Kalki-king.[3] During Vaishakha, the first fortnight in Shukla Paksha is dedicated to fifteen deities, with each day for a different god. In this tradition, the twelfth day is Vaishakha Dwadashi and is dedicated to Madhava, another name for Kalki. Category:Blog posts